If you’ve been following along, you know my last post ended with our visit with the Cowboy Muffler Man in Boerne, Texas.
Before leaving Virginia, I’d mapped out some must-see sights. It just so happened that the original Rudy’s Country Store and BBQ was along our route.
Now y’all knew I couldn’t revisit Texas without stopping at Rudy’s, right?
A place has to be good if they have the chutzpah to call themselves the “worst.”
I had to take Hubby to Rudy’s so he could taste their brisket. I wanted him to understand exactly why I have been urging him to smoke some brisket for me at home.
Rudy’s Menu
Rudy’s Moist Brisket
Doesn’t that look yummy?
I’m pretty sure Hubby said, “Oh my God…” after his first bite.
Happy Hubby
I know I did. In fact, I probably said it more than once. That creamed corn is delicious, too.
It’s literally whole kernels of corn floating in buttery, heavy cream.
Brisket, Creamed Corn, and Cole Slaw
Yum!
It was a dinner we both REALLY enjoyed. After we ate, I snapped a few pics of the establishment.
Quaint Interior
Wall Mural
Americana
Outdoor Seating Area (one of two)
Then we continued our trek toward San Antonio. Our last must-see sight for the day was actually close to downtown.
Indian Muffler Man
An Indian Muffler Man.
Unfortunately, he was mounted high in the air atop two poles. So that’s not a great angle.
And it made for another awkward MM-growing-out-of-my-head selfie.
Indian Muffler Man and Me
Getting a better shot would have required crossing a four-land road full of heavy rush-hour traffic. I didn’t mind the gaggle of used car salesmen chuckling at my photo shoot, but I didn’t want to risk my life crossing that swath of hot macadam.
The next one isn’t too bad.
Red McCombs’ Indian
At least you can see his cool headdress in that shot.
Two Muffler Men in one day. Awesome, eh? A cowboy AND an Indian in Texas.
Sadly, there were no more Muffler Man sightings during our brief trip, but I do have pics from Saturday and Sunday still to share.
Lots has been going on around here of late. And we had some excitement in the family, too.
I’ll share the family excitement first. I’ve dubbed the event…
A Proud Moment in Family History
Shannon on her first motorcycle.
Our eldest kid, Shannon, who lives in San Diego, just bought her first motorcycle. It’s a 2009 Honda Rebel. She passed her motorcycle safety course with flying colors and got her license within the last couple of weeks.
I think a trip to San Diego will be in order soon so we can do a family ride.
Under Contract
After just 18 days on the MLS.
The WV Place is under contract. We got the offer exactly two weeks after it hit the market. It was a bit low, so we countered. The contract was accepted two days later. Now we just have to get through the home inspection. We don’t anticipate any major issues, but one never knows…
Another Furniture Makeover Done
I bought this piece at auction over a year ago. There was some termite damage to one of the back legs, but I loved the look of the old oak and the large glass front. After getting it home, we realized it stunk. Bad. The old-people-house smell was oozing out of its pores. Is that what “musty” means? It sat in our garage for a while, coated in baking soda. Finally, we took it down to the basement.
That handy Hubby of mine gave it a new back leg. The shelves were particularly stinky and quite banged-up. I covered the whole thing in a couple coats of Zinsser’s Shellac (per my friend Janet’s recommendation), sanded it lightly with very fine steel wool, cleaned it off with mineral spirits, then hit it with some paint. I wanted to preserve the look of the nicely-aged exterior, so I just painted the base of the interior and the shelves, using the Old Ochre color in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.
Display Cabinet Re-style
Now I’m in the process of finishing that ugly seafoam green pie safe…
He Just Can’t Sit Still
Hubby has been busy, too. After a long break post-Grandfather Clock, he’s back at doing some more home projects.
Installing a Door
He’s been wanting to add a sound barrier between the family room and kitchen since shortly after we moved here. All those folks who just LOVE “open floor plans” must never have experienced trying to watch TV while someone else is doing something, anything, in the kitchen.
Relocating a Light Fixture
The light in our breakfast room is centered on the ceiling, which is just dumb. It should have been centered over the area where the table can sit. The table can’t possibly sit in the middle of the room, or you would be able to get out the back door. Well, you could get out the door, but you’d have to squeeze past the table and chairs.
On the Road Again
Later this week, I’ll be heading back to Texas. It’s just another short work trip to Austin. Of course, I’ll try and squeeze in some fun, too. So, if you don’t hear from me for awhile, that’s why.
I can’t wait to re-visit Rudy’s BBQ…
Yum… Texas BBQ. Smoked Brisket.
I REALLY wish I could have some of that for breakfast… brisket and eggs. Yum.
Yesterday was Father’s Day. A day to celebrate fathers across the United States.
My Dad
I am fortunate to have my Dad still with us. Although I didn’t see him yesterday, I was with him Thursday through Saturday at my brother’s house in Virginia.
That pic was actually taken in 2012. He still lived in Baltimore at the time. With my Mom, who is no longer with us.
Now he lives in Pennsylvania, which is a bit further away from me, so I don’t get to see him as often. But we talk regularly. And he is very happy in his new home, which is close to his sisters and not far at all from where he grew up.
Dad has always been a country boy at heart. He only moved to Baltimore because it was close to my Mom’s family and there were more job opportunities for him there.
Now that he is retired and Mom is gone, going back to Lancaster County Pennsylvania made perfect sense.
I spent the day with my other favorite father… Hubby! On Sunday morning he and I enjoyed our favorite annual event in Old Town Warrenton.
It’s just blocks away from our house and covers much of the area where I usually walk the dogs. Which makes it quite convenient.
Main Street in Old Town Warrenton
We went early to beat the crowds, although you might not believe we succeeded, judging by that pic. Trust me, though, it was far more crowded later in the day.
Hubby spent most of the remainder of the day relaxing at home. Then, around 3:45, we headed off to El Toro for linner (late lunch/early dinner), which is not to be confused with really-early-old-people’s-dinner-time.
Later, we went to Sweet Frog for some soft-serve ice cream and frozen yogurt. While there, we were delighted to run into Carol, one of Janet’s (of The Empty Nest fame) employees, Carol, who is an absolutely delightful lady, and her husband, Mark. So we had company to chat with while we enjoyed our dairy delights.
All in all, it was a great day.
I took a bunch of pics, of course. Snapshots, really. It was Hubby’s day. I didn’t want to slow him down with photography. 🙂
I hope you enjoy the slideshow. It’s got music, too, so turn down those speakers before you hit PLAY.
As I mentioned in my last post, I drove down to Chesapeake, Virginia this past Thursday to attend my nephew’s high school graduation.
Mawsie & Pop
It was a happy-sad occasion for me. I was very happy for Josh, but sad because my Mom REALLY wanted to be there.
In the years leading up to her death–she knew her health was declining–just about every time I talked to her, she’d tell me she wanted to at least be around long enough to see my son, Eric, get married and my nephew, Josh, graduate from high school.
Mom, pictured with my Dad on the right, missed both.
Some higher power had other plans for her, apparently.
She wasn’t there, physically, but she was there in spirit. She would have been so proud of her youngest grandson. He’s grown into such a nice, happy young man. AND he earned a $20,000 academic scholarship to Old Dominion University (ODU).
I don’t have many vacation days to spare, but I really wanted to be there for Josh. Lucky for me, the ceremony was in the evening. So I worked half a day and then drove down to Chesapeake.
The ceremony was actually held at ODU.
Think he was excited? (photo captured by my sister-in-law, Sharen Reichard)
I KNOW he was excited. He was ear-to-ear smiles all evening. (Photo captured by my sister-in-law, Sharen Reichard)
Me and Josh
I’m so glad I was able to go. My Dad was there, too. Both of my sister-in-law’s parents have passed and, sadly, due to a work commitment, her brother wasn’t able to come. Josh, an only child, doesn’t have a very big immediate family.
Josh, at age 3. Mawsie is in the background.
I actually worked a full day on Friday (being a remote employee does have it’s advantages; I can work from anywhere), but still had the evening to visit. A graduation party was planned at my brother’s house on Saturday.
I knew they’d be running around like crazy peeps getting ready, so I decided to get out of their way. Any guesses as to where I went? They’re about 35 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean…
Saturday Morning on Virginia Beach
It was a beautiful beach morning.
Everyone was still sleeping when I left the house shortly after 8:00 a.m.
I haven’t been to the beach, or even in the sun in a bathing suit in quite a few years. So I knew it would be a short beach trip.
It really was a picture-perfect beach day. Temps were in the low – to mid-70s and a nice breeze was blowing. Mentally, I could’ve stayed much long. Physically, I would’ve burned to a crisp. I hit the sand shortly after 9:00 a.m. and left the beach around 11:30.
I Love Beach-town Architecture
I went in a shop or two because I also love looking at tacky beach souvenirs. And the crazy tee-shirts they sell. Then I headed back to the house.
Crazy Tee I Shoulda Bought for My Friend, Ashley
They did a great job transforming the yard into party central while I was gone. Unfortunately, I didn’t take many pictures. I did get a shot of the yummy smoked chicken, dogs, and burgers that my brother grilled.
Party food!
I left for home around 3:45. I was supposed to have left around 3:00. Oops.
The late-departure didn’t stop me from making an important pit-stop, though. I’d checked my RoadsideAmerica.com app to see what “attractions and oddities” were in the area and was tickled to see there was a Muffler Man nearby.
The Muffler King in Newport News
I took that pic for my friend Rachel, who really likes what she calls “roadside weirdness.” Then I captured a fun selfie or two for myself.
Muffler Man Sprouting From My Head
Muffler Man Selfie with Odd, Unintentional Focal Point
I’ll leave you with yet another fun selfie. I asked Josh if he’d pose with me before I left and my brother photobombed us.
Tom the Photobomber
Why, yes, I do have a slightly goofy family. And, yes, I need more selfie practice.
Even if I didn’t get to ride my bike as I’d hoped, it was a fun, but far too brief, trip.
I’m traveling from home to Chesapeake, Virginia this afternoon — leaving in less than an hour — to attend my nephew’s graduation. I had REALLY hoped to take the bike.
But it’s storming.
See that map? If I were a crow, I’d be following the black line.
Rain, rain, rain…
Rain doesn’t scare me, but I don’t have much time to spare.On a bike, you can’t hurry through rain. Not to mention torrential rain/thunderstorms.
If I’m late, I either miss the graduation. Or make everyone else late.
